Newsletter (21 February, 2025)

Wimmera Lutheran College Update

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Nhill Campus welcome BBQ, and also the Installation Service of new and existing staff at Nhill Lutheran Church. Both events offered a great opportunity for connection with the school and church community, and I enjoyed forming new relationships. Thank you to Mr Leek and Mrs North for accompanying me on my respective visits and to the Nhill community for making us feel welcome. I look forward to other opportunities to strengthen our relationship throughout this year.

In a few weeks time, a number of staff from across the 3 campuses will be coming together to attend the Melbourne Contemporary Learning Tour led by Mrs Kim Powell from LEVNT. This week will offer a great opportunity for the Junior School’s of WLC to come together to observe a variety of educational experiences. With a number of staff out for this week, I look forward to spending a full day at the Nhill and Dimboola campuses to provide teaching and leadership support.

Next week, the WLC Board will meet for the first time. There will be a full agenda as important WLC matters are discussed, including the development of a Strategic Plan, Branding, Uniform timeline and other Governance procedures. This is exciting work that will take place this year and it will be good to begin formal discussions in this space. The 2025 WLC Board will be made up of:

Chair: Mr Mark Hughes
Executive Principal: Mr Jason Przibilla
Business Manager: Mr Neil Leek
Board Members: Mrs Michelle Pipkorn, Mr Andrew Wundke, and Mrs Tegan Fry

Australian Government Request for Residential Address and Other Information

Each year, the Australian Government Department of Education requests residential address and other information about your child.

The information requested includes:

Names and residential addresses of the student’s parents and/or guardians
Student residential address (excluding student names)
Whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
Whether the student is boarding or a day student (Boarding status)

Over the coming weeks, the administration team will be collecting this information to forward to the Department. Earlier this week, you would have received communication from me with details about this process. Please read this communication carefully and be in touch if you have any questions.

School Arrival Time

A reminder that students are not permitted on the school grounds until 8:30am each morning. Supervision of outside areas and classrooms does not commence until this time. If for any reason your child may need to arrive prior to 8.30am, we ask that a conversation be had with your child's Head of School. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for all our students.

Parking

Parents and carers are reminded to park in the allocated parking spaces when picking up and dropping off their children. Over the first few weeks of the school year, a number of cars have been observed parking in non-parking spaces and the disabled car parking space. This is putting the safety and wellbeing of others at risk as often the vehicles are blocking designated walkways. Please ensure you are parking correctly at these busy times of the day to ensure everyone’s safety.

Family Returns

The WLC Horsham Community received the wonderful news this month that the Borlase family will be returning to the Wimmera after leaving for Zimbabwe halfway through last year. Many of you have been following the family’s journey and will be overjoyed by the fantastic news that they have been granted visas to return to living in the Wimmera. Welcome home Tony, Taniya, Hannah and Jude.

Mr Jason Przibilla
Executive Principal

by Rev Dr Noel Due

But they went away and spread his fame through all that district (Matthews 9:31).

Read Matthew 9:27–34

Today’s reading continues the theme in Matthew’s Gospel, showing Jesus in his role as God’s healer and deliverer. The blind see! The demonised are set free! And news spreads!

Little wonder. No-one had done the things Jesus did, and no-one had said the things Jesus said. His deeds and his words went before him. News travelled fast and wide. Multitudes followed.

So, we might be tempted to think that ‘nothing succeeds like success’, and that Jesus’ path would be paved with adoration and love. Yet, we know only too well that this was not the case.

What is happening here?

The first part of Matthew’s Gospel builds to a turning point, found in Matthew 16:13 where Jesus asks, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’

When the disciples report the confused responses of the crowds (Moses, Elijah), Jesus then asks the twelve directly, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ That leads to Peter’s great declaration, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!’ (Matthew 16:16).

Immediately after that declaration was uttered, Jesus began teaching them about the cross.

In other words, the deeds and words of Jesus are all designed to provoke the disciples and crowds to ask themselves: ‘Who is this man?’ Even Peter, when he is shown the answer to that question from heaven itself, does not understand the implications of who Jesus is. And he certainly didn’t want a Messiah who would suffer and die.

The opening of the blind man’s eyes is a physical sign of a much-needed spiritual miracle: the eyes of our hearts must be opened by the Spirit to see Jesus for who he really is. The casting out of the demons is a visible sign of a spiritual deliverance: we must be delivered from the powers of darkness to hear the words of Jesus and follow him.

Thank you, dear Lord, for seeing our needy state. We needed you to come to us, and you came before we called. Thank you for meeting us with love, mercy and grace … to heal our spiritual blindness, deafness and captivity. We thank you for doing what we could never do for ourselves. Amen.

Great Families and Great Kids at WLC – 4-6 Swimming

What a beautiful 26-degree day God blessed us with down at the swimming pool yesterday! I was blessed with a change of plans into the Wimmera house tent to supervise, which meant that I could enjoy the day alongside the kids and parents. Thank you all for being a part of our school community because it just reinforced that we have great families and great kids!

Keeping the Weekends – A Blessing

We were so lucky to have so many Mums and Dads with us down at the pool. It is not an opportunity that comes along in the weekdays a whole heap and not everyone can space the time.

On the weekends, however, these opportunities to spend more time together come along more often. As the middle of the school term is before us, plan to have a ‘slow down’ weekend sometime, so that the kids can rest. Particularly our smaller students start to need a rest, otherwise, they can be more susceptible to sickness!

I thought I would pass the tip on, as I have also motioned to the Junior School staff that it is a good thing to ‘drop back a gear’ after a fast start to the school year, so we don’t just feel like we are surviving, but thriving!

Wednesdays Off for Foundation Students

The Foundation teachers are busy each Wednesday with extended Parent/Teacher sharing. I thank God that we have had this Wednesday arrangement in schools now for quite some time, so new Foundation students can have a mid-week rest, but also so we can start the co-educator relationship on the right footing! These Wednesdays will go until Week 7, however, can be negotiated for individual students until the end of Term 1.

Awards (Week 4)

FL: Bessie L, Knox W, Evelyn L
FR: Wyatt W, Summer M, Elina H
1H: Indy C, Joanna O, Savio B
1P: Alfie J, Riley M
2H: Nkanyezi N, Hamish M
2S: Charlotte S, Riley H
3D: Jack P, Louise F
3J: Jorja L, Tas C, Sarang S
4M: Oliver W, Lexi M
4R: Grace B, Peyton I, Herbie H
5D: Lacey A, Addisyn K
5J: Adelle R, Matilda S
5K: Alfie J
6H: Violet J, Valeria SM
6V: Emmerson I, Evie K, Isobel D

Specialist Awards:
Chinese - Oliver W, Frankie E

Our Trinity Tiger (5-6) Award recipient was Maeja R, Trinity Cub (3-4) Ariel M, and Trinity Cub (F-2) Aston B.

Week 5

24 February (Monday): Assembly - in class
28 February (Friday): 1H Chapel

Week 6

3 March (Monday): Assembly - all invited
4 March (Tuesday): Pancake Day Gold Coin donation
7 March (Friday): 1P Chapel & Foundation Faith Bag Presentation

Week 7 (NAPLAN Week 1)

10 March (Monday): Public Holiday - Labor Day
11 March (Tuesday): Year 6 Melbourne Camp departs
12 March (Wednesday): Year 4 camp leaves
14 March (Friday): 3J Chapel

Mr Adam Borgas
Head of Junior School - Horsham Campus

What is NAPLAN?

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. These tests are a government requirement for all schools across Australia and assess student achievement in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. When combined with teacher observations, the NAPLAN tests help inform the College of each child’s performance and achievement. The NAPLAN results also provide important trend data that assists in the review and planning of the College’s teaching and learning programs.

NAPLAN Online Assessments

NAPLAN assessments are administered online, with the exception of the Year 3 Writing Assessment. The testing schedule will run for two weeks with tests planned for the WLC Horsham campus from Wednesday 12 March to Wednesday 19 March 2025, and catch-up tests available for individual students who are absent on test days up to and including Monday 24 March 2025.

Online examples of the NAPLAN tests can be found at the following site: https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.

Student Participation

It is an expectation that all students will sit the NAPLAN tests. Support can be arranged for students if they regularly have similar support for classroom assessment tasks. Exemptions may be granted to students with significant disadvantages and to students who have been learning English for less than one year. Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parents or carer in consultation with the College.

NAPLAN Results

Later in the year you will receive your child’s personal NAPLAN report. This will describe your child’s particular skills in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy, and how your child performed in relation to the minimum Australian standards.

Should you have any further questions, please refer to the parent information handout attached, or feel free to contact me at any time.

Parent Information Handout

Mrs Jacqui North
Assistant to the Heads of Schools: Curriculum and Pedagogy

Term One is well underway and it’s great to see students settling into routines and study practices.

Swimming Carnival

It was wonderful to see all our Secondary Students participating in the Swimming Carnival. This event is always a highlight on the calendar, creating an exciting and vibrant atmosphere - and this year was no exception. There was an impressive display of talent, along with a fantastic sense of involvement as everyone came together to support their house.

Congratulations to Wimmera for claiming the 2025 title! A big thank you to the staff who helped organise and run this event.

Leadership Installation Service

On Tuesday morning, we officially installed our student leaders at a special assembly. It was wonderful to see such an enthusiastic group of students eager to contribute to the leadership of our secondary school.

We acknowledge our SRC representatives, Middle School Ambassadors, House Captains, and Technology Team. I wish all these students the very best as they take on their responsibilities and thank them in advance for their service.

StudyZone and Maths Drop-In

The StudyZone is now open in the Senior Centre, providing a dedicated space for students to complete homework, and it is available to students from Year 7 to 12. It is open on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:30pm to 4:30pm.

On Wednesday nights, a maths teacher will be on duty, offering students a valuable opportunity to receive extra support in this subject.

Year 11 and 12 students are also welcome to use the study centre on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons; however, we ask that they do not stay beyond 4:30pm.

ID Photos

Student ID photos will take place next week on Tuesday. The schedule will be made available to students by their homeroom teachers.

Career News

Career news and opportunities will be posted on the HUB over the year. Please take note of these opportunities and be in touch with the College if you require any further support or information.

Important Dates

Athletics Carnival – 31 March
Parent-Teacher Interviews – Term 2, 22 and 24 April

Mrs Kate Carter
Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary

Has your usually chatty child become quieter than normal? Does your typically confident kid need extra hugs?

The start of a school year brings a unique mixture of emotions for both parents and children. Whether your little one is taking their first steps into kindergarten, starting a whole new school (or high school), or just moving up to a new year level with friends, that flutter of anxiety in their stomach (and yours) is completely normal. These transitions are crucial moments for emotional growth.

Recent research in childhood development shows that periods of change—whether it’s starting school, changing classes, or moving to a new suburb—are remarkable opportunities for your child to develop resilience and emotional intelligence. When they tell you they are worried, these concerns aren’t necessarily something to “fix”. Rather, it’s a sign of their developing emotional awareness.

Consider what’s happening when your child says they’re worried about school. They might be:

Processing complex social dynamics: A new friend group, new classmates, new teacher,
Anticipating academic challenges: “I don’t know how to do what they’re going to ask me to do”, or simply
Responding to a change in routine.

Each of these concerns represents their brain working to prepare them for new experiences.

Some Practical Steps Can Help:

Slow things down.

Rather than running full steam ahead and filling up their calendar, start slow. Ease into things. Reduce after-school activities if your child needs it. Keep plans simple on the weekend. Leave margin so you can be available.

Time your conversations.

The best time to talk isn’t necessarily as soon as you see them. While some kids are excited to tell you everything the minute they see you, most prefer to have some time to relax and decompress. You probably don’t like being interrogated when you arrive home. Nor do they. Give them time to process. Some children need quiet time; others might want physical activity to release the day’s tensions.

Ask deep questions.

When it’s time to talk, rather than saying, “How was school today?” ask them to tell you who they spent time talking with and how it felt. Invite them to tell you something they did that was challenging. Have them consider how they showed determination. Who did they help or show kindness to? Deep questions create connection.

Listen to their specific concerns.

Are they worried about how big the school is (or how big some of the kids are)? Making friends? Understanding new rules? Each worry gives you insight into what support they might need.

Ask practical questions.

Do they like their lunch? Are they feeling like the morning routine is working for them? What’s their favourite afternoon tea?

When they do share concerns, listen more than you solve. Rather than rushing to fix every worry, help them identify what they’re feeling and why. Say things like, “That sounds tricky”, and “Wow, how do we solve that one?” This builds their capability and confidence.

Without being overzealous, watch for physical signs of anxiety: stomach aches, sleep changes, or increased clinginess might appear. These aren’t just “attention-seeking” behaviours—they’re often genuine expressions of emotional processing.

Remember: Your role isn’t to eliminate their anxiety but to help them understand and work with it. (Think of Riley in Inside Out 2. When anxiety takes over, it’s a problem. But it does play an important role.) When we support children through transitions while validating their feelings, we’re helping them build emotional skills they’ll use throughout their lives.

Every child moves through transitions differently. Some might be excited about new books, fresh pencils, and their new teacher, while others need more time to warm up to change. Neither approach is wrong—they’re just different ways of processing the same big step.

Your child is learning to navigate complex feelings about school. The key is remembering that this anxiety isn’t a problem to solve, but rather a normal part of growing up. By staying present with them through these feelings, you’re teaching them that they can handle big emotions and new experiences – even when they feel overwhelming at first. Supporting a child through these transitions can be emotionally taxing for parents too, but this investment in understanding and patience pays off in building your child’s emotional toolkit and their resilience.

About the Author

Dr Justin Coulson is a dad to 6 daughters and grandfather to 1 granddaughter. He is the parenting expert and co-host of Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, and he and his wife host Australia’s #1 podcast for parents and family: The Happy Families Podcast. He has written 9 books about families and parenting. For further details, visit happyfamilies.com.au.

Wimmera Lutheran College is a Happy Families School

If you would like to access our school's membership, please follow this link: https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/htlc

Password: happyhtlc

URSTRONG is proud to have worked with thousands of neurodiverse students in schools around the world.

Neurodiversity, a term coined in 1998 by an Australian sociologist, is about recognizing and supporting the many unique ways that children learn. According to Harvard Medical School, “Neurodiversity is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities.” In URSTRONG Schools, educators aim to create inclusive classrooms that accept and celebrate these neurological differences.

When it comes to neurodivergent learners, friendships can sometimes feel challenging. They might feel misunderstood or find it hard to connect with their peers. In some cases, they might misread social cues and body language or struggle with their own non-verbal communication. Conflict can feel particularly difficult, especially when big emotions (like anger) are involved. For kids who find it tricky to navigate the ups and downs of friendship, school can feel very frustrating, overwhelming, and exhausting.

The good news is: Friendship is a skill that can be taught. Our URSTRONG Schools see positive outcomes for neurodivergent students who learn our Friendology friendship skills curriculum and whole-school friendship strategy.

A few key elements of URSTRONG that supports neurodivergent learners include:

A Progressive Learning Model:
Spanning Early Years to teens, our Friendology friendship skills curriculum are designed for progressive learning – building on skills year-after-year. With continuity across the year levels among core concepts, the context, scenarios, and teaching style change to meet the needs of each developmental stage. Students deepen their understanding of the concepts and friendship skills through differentiated instruction, applying developmentally-appropriate higher-order thinking skills. Educators provide scaffolding through questions, role-plays, and activities, meeting children where they are at in their social development.
Explicit, step-by-step instruction:
Friendology guides students through 8 sequenced lessons (using videos and slideshows) designed to meet specific learning outcomes. As described in the Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education, “The strength of an explicit approach is that it provides a consistency of content, thus, allowing teachers to follow a uniform lesson sequence and ensuring all students are taught the same key lessons (Waters, L. 2021).” Every skill is taught step-by-step with kid-friendly language and terms to make it easier for neurodivergent and exceptional learners to understand, particularly those who struggle with executive functioning.
Whole-school approach:
Research shows that whole-school approaches are the most effective. Creating a common ‘language of friendship’ between school and home is a hallmark of a URSTRONG School. Parents get access to hundreds of resources to support their children at home in a consistent way. In addition, every teacher is trained in using the same language and strategies, creating consistency for neurodivergent learners. This shared language also allows for small group and individualized instruction for students who require more focused support that clicks with how they learn.
Visual tools & easy-to-understand language:
Given friendships sometimes require sophisticated social skills (e.g. negotiation, perspective-taking, conflict-resolution), URSTRONG uses visual tools and kid-friendly terms that are intuitive for children. The Friend-o-Meter, for example, allows learners an easy way to identify how they (and others) are feeling in their friendships.
Role-playing scenarios:
To support skill development, scenarios are woven throughout the annual scope & sequence, designed for weekly friendship lessons. Students learn how to put out their Friendship Fires and work their way around the Friend-o-Cycle. They practise how to Talk-it-Out with real-life scenarios, how to make friends, how to have a conversation, how to include others and ask a friend to play. Early learners practise their friendship skills with teddy bears and toys, helping them learn through play. As noted by our Director, Tyson Greenwood, “Explicit instruction and role-playing provide a scaffold so neurodivergent learners can prepare for the tricky moments. This also lowers anxiety by walking them through scenarios, aligned with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach.”
Strengths-based focus underpinned by Positive Psychology:
Through our wellbeing themes such as DIVERSITY and RESPECT, we help children understand, accept, and honour differences. Our core concepts, such as Friendship Fact #2: Every Friendship is Different, create a foundation for friendship skills and relating to one another. Our URSTRONG Schools focus on the strengths of each child with activities that help children learn about VIA Institute’s 24 Character Strengths. In our first session of Friendology, called Inner Ninja, students learn strategies to strengthen their emotional regulation, self-awareness, and emotional literacy.

With teachers and parents all supporting children with a common ‘language of friendship’, our URSTRONG Schools create a safe and inclusive environment for neurodiverse learners (and all students) to effectively develop in their social and emotional competence.